Wednesday, Sep 3rd, 2025 ~ Michael Torch

 HEAD START

The Running of the Bulls~?  Or maybe this cartoon~?

This is my first time blogging a Michael Torch puzzle; he has two previous ones for the LA Times, the last when he paired up with constructor Kevin Christian back in March.  We have no circles (yay~!), an even distribution of 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-letter words (~17), barely any names, and a mix of both Across and Down Themers with a centered reveal;

18A. *Extracts dirt from the carpet, maybe: STEAM CLEANS - I saw this on the Dan Aykroyd show "The Unbelievable" while on the elliptical at the gym this past Saturday

Crush, TX, 1896

59A. *California's "Eureka" and New York's "Excelsior": STATE MOTTOS - I knew these two mottos, the second because I lived in NY for most of my life😜.  Connecticut's is "Qui Transtulit Sustinet" - the translation here

3D. *Vidal Sassoon's expertise: HAIR STYLING - his Wiki , name #1

26D. *Low-carb sandwich: LETTUCE WRAP - using lettuce instead of bread

Actually looks quite tasty

39A. Leading, or, when parsed differently, what can lead into the starts of the answers to the starred clues: A/HEAD OF - two parsings; Ahead, and a Head - of; steam, state, hair, and lettuce

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Fireplace residue: ASH - AND - 44D. Fireplace residue: SOOT - Thank the maker this past August was colder & drier than I expected, so less A/C; I'm looking forward to the fall, football and a cozy fire

4. Laundry basket: HAMPER

10. Spice made from the husk of a nutmeg: MACE - I knew this; CT is nicknamed the "nutmeg" state due to this tale;  The spice is NOT in the defensive spray - that's a brand name of pepper spray

14. Indian beach destination: GOA - Three letters and Indian~? Ektorp = GOA (name #2)

15. Moon mission program: APOLLO - The memorable 11 and 13; makes me think of HuskerG

16. Subject of a chemistry diagram: ATOM

17. Stat boosted by a home run: RBI - Runs Batted In - a clue for our hostess C.C.

20. Countesses' counterparts: EARLS

22. Adds fuel to: STOKES - this reminds me of steam locomotives, too

23. Old Ford flops: EDSELS - haven't seen this crossword staple in a while (name(ish))

25. Resolved out of court: SETTLED

29. Ensnare: TIE UP

31. Bullfighting figure: TORERO - nailed it - they'll need one in the 10K cartoon

32. Vegetarian frozen-food brand: AMY'S - the website

34. Wells Fargo competitor: CITI - financial institutions; I have two credit cards from WF beause they once held my mortgage - now it's with "Mr. Cooper" - not related to my brother's dog

 

Me 'n Cooper are hangin' at the end of this month

37. Feel a sense of belonging: FIT IN - I have always felt like I have never "fit in" - I'm just a weirdo

38. 8 pts. or 4 qts.: GALLon - I started with AMT; I did not see that they were the same measurement

41. First number in many countdowns: TEN - nine - eight - seven . . . .

42. Japanese art genre: ANIME

45. Source of inspiration: MUSE - if there is a muse of "carpentry", then . . . .

46. Overlook: IGNORE - that Muse has been doing this, lately

48. Light purple: LILAC

50. NFLer who plays at the Meadowlands: NY GIANT - as do the long-suffering NY Jets of the NFL as well; the stadium is in the swamps of New Jersey no less

52. Opt for: SELECT

55. Viewpoint: STANCE

58. Home to the Ninja Turtles: SEWER - My screen-name comes not from Splinter, the TMNT rat "sensei", but from putting lumber away sans gloves at Grossman's Lumber many moons ago . . . 

The senior drafter at the Pipe Organ company started at Grossman's as well

63. Light beam: RAY - I blogged that Dan/C.C. puzzle in July

64. Junior staffer: AIDE

65. Online investment service: eTRADE - had some funny Super Bowl baby ads

Riding the dog like a horse is "frowned upon~!"

66. Beast of burden: ASS

67. "Quick, before we're late!": "C'MON~!"

68. Classroom unit: LESSON - AND - 49D. Decrease: LESSEN - I am sort of 'Meh' about this . . . ?

69. Parakeet or rabbit: PET - I have had the rabbit, not the bird

DOWN:

1. Shake hands (on): AGREE

Great Album Cover Art

2. "Just awful!": "SO BAD~!"

4. Pain in the neck: HASSLE - Lately, all my home projects have turned into huge hassles

5. Perfectly suitable: APT

6. "The Simpsons" bar: MOE'S - according to this site, it's a tavern, not a bar; name(ish)

7. Community developer's map: PLAT - its etymology derived from PLOT

8. Ticklish toys that caused a frenzy at Christmas in 1996: ELMOs - name(ish) -  my "generation" was obsessed with Cabbage Patch Kids, because they were oddly cute/ugly and could  be "legally" adopted 

9. "Guardians of the Galaxy" raccoon: ROCKET - I have not actually seen these movies - had to rely on perps; name #3

10. Opera conductors: MAESTRI - I figured it was the Latin plural, and not maestrOS

11. __ loss for words: AT A

12. Swindle: CON - Ooops, not ROB; 33% correct

13. CPR crew: EMS

19. Excuse from work: LET OFF - meh; I think of fireworks being "let off"

21. Luau loops: LEIS - alliteration

24. "I did no __ thing!": "SUCH~!"

27. Native Pennsylvanians: ERIES - This I should have figured out; Organ Supply Industries is located there - I was part of a road trip that visited the factory in ERIE, PA

28. "Death, be not proud" poet John: DONNE - name #4 - learning moment for me; more here

30. Fruit-filled desserts: PIES

32. Another time: AGAIN - not LATER

33. Unkempt: MANGY

35. Eastern philosophical path: TAO

36. Pop sensation: IDOL

39. Use a SodaStream: AERATE - this thing; I left mine back in NY

40. Big name in elevators: OTIS - crossword staple name #5

43. Lick, as an envelope: MOISTEN

45. Like peacocks: MALE - ah.  I was trying to think of a four-letter word for SHOWY

47. Nail polish, e.g.: ENAMEL

51. Govt. investment option: T-NOTE - I, of course, filled in T-BOND; 40% correct

53. Stop: CEASE

54. Romantic rendezvous: TRYST

56. Middles: Abbr.: CTRs

57. Greek vowels: ETAs

59. Cul-de-__: SAC - It's a dead end....

60. "Beetlejuice" director Burton: TIM - name #6

61. Big commotion: ADO

62. Prefix with meter: ODO - Odometer, the "clock" of your car's distance traveled

Splynter